


in this life, and the next.

by dreameis



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Tsundere Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), closeted simp levi, competitive mcs, really really competitive, to the point where its annoying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:35:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28425579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreameis/pseuds/dreameis
Summary: The morbid struggle of a girl seeing eye-to-eye with the Captain of another squad, while simultaneously having to salvage the remains of humanity from the notorious Titans.
Relationships: Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	1. Beginnings

**YEAR 845, UNKNOWN DISTRICT**

_The sound of thick, muscular flesh making contact with bone echoed in my ear as my brother sprawled across the floor, coughing blood. His left eye was swollen and turning a grim shade of purple, and I could see the glint of rib bone in the moonlight._

_Teeth splatted casually on the ground — reminiscent of small, white pebbles. Teeth that were of an eight year old. Teeth that might not grow back again. After all, his two front adult teeth had just finished growing last week._

_What was left was a gaping, bloody hole in his mouth. The Titan decided to finally stop throwing him around and put him out of his misery. Grabbing Moses by the waist, he tossed him into the air and snapped up, cutting him into half before gobbling him down like a sick alligator show._

_Blood coated the Titan's mouth, dribbling down and landing on the floor, creating a puddle._

_The dripping sound mixed in with the night rain, which pitted against the rocks like muted slingshots. My heart thudded with the same rhythm, and my breathing hitched with every exhale._

_What would happen next?_

_I watched, hiding at my spot in the closet. My hand gripped my mouth and refused to let out an anguished scream._

_'Why?' I wanted to scream. 'Why me? Why us?'_

_My_ _twelfth_ _birthday was just yesterday. This didn't seem real at all._

_Our parents were gone._

_Their bodies lay unmoving. Mummy's head rolled like a bowling ball, stopping in front of my closet. Papa's smashed body was at the door, where he first warned us of the Titan. I saw his guts laying flat against the grassy foot of the door, and fought the overwhelming urge to vomit._

_It happened too fast — too quickly. One minute we were safe, the other we weren't. I didn't want to think what had happened to the other houses: was Nadia safe? Emerlynn? Jack?_

_Or were they all gone too?_

_I peeked out once more, just to see whether I myself was safe._

_I made eye contact with the Titan._

_My whole body froze. I attempted to slowly close the door back, but it was too late._

_Sprinting, the Titan bounded towards my corner, lunging for me — reaching out with its bloodied hands — its breath hot and metallic on my skin — jaws unlocking and opening wide —_

_The unmistakable clang of metal opened my eyes._

_A blond young man with startling blue eyes moved deftly around my house, traveling with a contraption that allowed him to shift with admirable speed. Within a few minutes, the Titan was cut down, the large gash on its neck hard to miss._

_It was over. It was all over._

_"Commander Smith! We're to fall back, we have to retreat from this village and head to Wall Maria!"_

_The movement and rustle of clothing was enough for me to know that the man that had saved me was called Smith._

_As I plunged into temporary darkness, it would seem that I would never forget the name of that stranger that seemed like a hero in my eyes._


	2. LANGE, Lucia

** OFFICIAL RECRUIT REPORT: **

LANGE, Lucia

Age: 19

Eye colour: Black

Height: 5'5 ft, 165cm

Hair: Waist-length, black

Current Squad Leader: Hange Zoë

Training Time: 365 days (COMPLETED)

**REMARKS:**

Lange was found with her deceased family at the age of 12. She started training at 14, joining the 104th Training Corps 2 years later with the permission of Commander Smith. Being a late recruit, she was expected to be slower, but has shown to be an efficient member with an acceptable balance of wits and physical ability in just a year of training. 

**DATE:**

September 15th, 850

**SIGNED BY:**

**REMARKS:**

Lange has shown a heightened interest in _Furthered: Titan Studies_ as compared to her classmates — not that I'm complaining! It's always great to have an eager apprentice, though I should stop before Moblit comes at me again for rambling. I always forget this isn't a diary entry and that scripture can't be erased once written. Anywho, Lange, at just 18, has been very equipped in knowledge and capability. Though emotionally guarded and occasionally (often) foul-mouthed, she has shown precise skill in previous Expeditions. I hope to see her thrive under my guidance in the following years.

**DATE:**

September 15th, 854

**SIGNED BY:**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> hi guys! in this story, there are different plot points that i'm going to list out: these are here so as to dissuade any confusion. take note, these points might include spoilers so read at your own risk!
> 
> 1\. Erwin is not dead. He is very much alive. Hange is a squad leader.
> 
> 2\. There is no war between the Eldians in Paradis Island and Eldians in Marley. That means that Reiner, Bertholdt and Annie are not traitors — they were born in Paradis. However, they still have the Titans' Powers, which will be elaborated later on.
> 
> 3\. Assume that the only antagonist here are the Titans.
> 
> 4\. Eren's mom is still dead.
> 
> 5\. The Cadets still have further guidance under their squad leader and are considered 'students' even after graduating from the 104th Training Corps.
> 
> 6\. They go on Expeditions to study and ward off any Titans residing in nearby areas.
> 
> i hope this clears up most confusion! i'm just as excited for this story as i hope you are; i have high hopes for the main characters and i don't want to disappoint you guys <3


	3. Soup!

My body shuddered heavily as it fought for warmth in the pounding morning rain. Sweat mingled with the droplets, which dripped down my face like tears.

 _Not good enough. More. Again._ _Do it again._

I braced myself once more, ready to lunge forward — and stopped. The ODM gear was steadily heating up, and — was that smoke I smelled?

_Shit._

This was a textbook sign that my gear had been overworked and needed a well-deserved break. Any more and it would malfunction, leaving me with broken bones and an embarrassing earful from Hange. Oh, well. I _did_ use my gear longer than meant for use — what with training alone since after yesterday's dinner. I'd needed to fix some of my maneuvers.

The sky turned salmon pink and pineapple yellow, telltale hints of dawn. Gritting my teeth, I tore my gear off and headed to the sparring room. Nobody would be there. I would have a good two hours before heading to breakfast. My mood lifted slightly at the promise of seeing Sasha and Connie battle for the freshly baked loaves of bread (which was more often than one might think — much, much, more often.)

I savoured the tranquility of training alone; it quenched the turmoil that ensued inside me. Fixing my moves, constantly improving, and being ahead of others were the few things that fuelled me forward. Taking a deep breath, I opened the iron handle of the door that led to the sparring room — one of my few comfort places.

A low grunt sounded.

Then another.

And another.

It sounded horribly similar to —

_What the fuck? Was someone... getting it on in there?_

Deciding not to judge — but eyebrows slightly raised at the poor choice of location — I decided to open the door with a little force to startle the person that resided in there, to teach them a little lesson.

_3..._

_2..._

_1...._

_CLANG!_

The metal door scraped against the wooden floor brusquely, creating a rather unpleasant sound.

_Oh._

Rather than a man doing something that would be considered offensive and even illegal in some villages, it was someone else. Someone else who was just working out at the pull-up bar. Someone else who I'd hoped I'd never see at this time. Someone else who, for some reason, looked like he wanted to rip my head off and roll it like a bowling ball. And the most hilarious part of it all — he would probably even score a strike.

His hair fell across his face, strands clumped together by the sweat that dropped from the ends. Evidence of hard work.

My eyes drifted to his undercut, which also shone slightly with sweat. Wearing a thin shirt and dark grey pants, he swung himself nimbly off the wooden pull-up bar and stood a few feet away from me. He stood, arms crossed.

"Is there any reason you are barging into the sparring room at early morning wet like a bathing wild boar, Cadet? How insolent — though I can't say I'm surprised, given the fact that you _do_ seem as if you lack the elegance that your kind is supposed to inhibit."

My jaw clenched at the harsh words, and my tongue failed to regain its posture yet once again. 

My _kind_?

How was it my fault he would sound like a teenage boy putting it in for the first time behind closed doors?

"Maybe if it didn't sound like someone was pleasuring themselves greatly like a virgin boy going through the first stages of puberty, I wouldn't have imposed the way I did, _Captain,_ " I retorted.

"Hm? Are you saying it's my fault for working hard, brat? My fault for wanting to be better than lazy delinquents like you?" He stalked towards me, eyes trained on mine.

 _I_ was the lazy delinquent? My eyes narrowed.

"No, sir, not in the slightest; but if you work out sounding like _that_ , you can't expect anyone to not get the wrong idea. After all, I — as a member of the honourable Scouts — was just making sure nobody was defiling our precious sparring room."

_Ha! Got him there._

"Hilarious, Lange. I'll make sure to keep my voice in check when you're around next time," he snarled. His already narrowed eyes shone with defiance.

Captain Levi.

Squad Leader to the other elites: Eren, Armin, Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, and a few other top scorers.

From his mysterious and shadowy background rose "humanity's greatest soldier", a killing machine said to be gifted to us by the Gods. A dark, handsome saviour that saved every maiden and child from the fearsome Titans.

Note the sarcasm.

All I knew was that he was not much different than a well-trained soldier with annoying anger issues — and a severe god complex. That bastard was so cocky that even chickens feared him (I'm not joking; they really did run away from him.)

I was never able to understand how Squad Leader Hange — kind, friendly, generous Hange — could befriend such a fiend like him. Maybe it was the fact that they were childhood friends that allowed her to slowly put up with his idiocy. I'd never gotten along with him; his smugness and selective indifference to some cadets ceased to leave a good impression.

Some might say I was overstepping my boundaries as Cadet the way I talked to the Squad Leader, but he didn't seem to mind every time I shot back when he made snarky comments about my team, who was just as good as his. Jean, Mikasa, Sasha, Connie and Ymir were amazing teammates that had worked hard for their positions. He didn't seem to mind either, when I saved his life that one time in the forest during an Expedition — a blind spot he couldn't see and that I cleaned up for him.

Point is, he knew I had it in for him, yet didn't seem to really react or fight back. He'd just lean back with a smirk at my retorts, or raise an eyebrow.

Sometimes he seemed amused, almost — the corners of his mouth lifted sometimes — but trust _me_ to know whether he really was or merely just taunting me.

"Right," I snorted, my lips turning up in an unkind smile. "Now if you'll excuse me, sir, I have work to do. Wouldn't want to be one of those _lazy delinquents_ now, would I?"

He sneered, top lip unfurling.

"Watch your tone, Lange."

"I'm honoured you even know my name, Captain."

At this, he peered at my through slit eyes and hair that hung from his face like stalactites.

"How could I not? What with you being so... _interesting_ and such," he said with obvious disdain.

 _Interesting_ was not a compliment — no, not in this context. I decided to ignore the jibe.

Huffing, I set my focus on the pull up bar that he had been occupied with before my intrusion. I could practically feel his gaze on the back of my head, but decided to ignore it.

Lazy delinquent, my ass. I'd show him the result of effort — of work, time, sweat, and a fuck ton of perseverance.

I wiped my hands free of any moisture and wrapped my hands around the wooden bar above my head. The bar felt warm — the only evidence someone else had touched it. It was probably the closest I would ever get to touching the Captain; not that I minded or cared. Taking a deep breath and counting down from three, I hoisted myself above the bar and held it for an acceptable amount of time before repeating it.

We worked in empty silence — him at the skipping ropes ("Don't look at me like that, Lange. Hange said jumps would increase my chances of growing at least five inches by next month," he'd grouched while I had to practically bite down on my tongue to stifle a laugh.) Soon enough, the bell rang, signifying breakfast. Only sounds of effort were heard — though a certain one was toned down significantly.

The rain had subsided, leaving muddy puddles and a clear, pale blue sky.

"Get a move on, Lange. It's breakfast time. No doubt _you_ would be stuffing your face," he sniped. I shot a glare in his direction, sweat slightly clouding my vision. My body was slightly sore, and I started stretching the muscles to deter the leaden feel of fatigue. 

Standing up, I made a move for the door, and he followed suit. I stopped, and he did as well.

I took a step.

He took a step.

I stopped.

He stopped.

“Captain. What are you doing?" I asked coolly.

"Going for breakfast. What does it look like I'm doing, you heathen?"

"You can go ahead, Captain. You wouldn't want to be seen walking into the dining hall with a lowly Cadet." I cocked an eyebrow. The way he was following my every move was reminiscent of an abandoned puppy. It was annoying.

"Just get a move on, Lange. We're already late as it is, since you decided to stretch. Don't see why, too; you barely did seventy," he side-eyed me, having to look slightly above. 

I was sure my glacial expression was working as his eyebrows raised slightly after seeing my face.

"I don't recall requesting you to wait for me, Captain. You did that out of your own volition. I'd ask kindly of you not to pin any of your asinine analyses on me," I said, before taking huge strides to the hall. I reached it faster than him, and didn't bother holding the wooden door open for him. He didn't deserve it.

Snatching a tray from the start of the line, I helped myself to some servings of soup and bread and headed to my table. I slammed the tray on the table, soup spilling from the edges of the bowl.

Sasha and Connie seemed to have finished battling for the bread, Sasha emerging triumphant holding the large half of the bread with a messy ponytail while Connie sulked, his cheek slightly bruised. They saw my face and stifled a chuckle.

"Bad morning?" Jean asked, a sympathetic grin plastered on his face.

"Like you wouldn't _believe,_ " I groaned. The whole table shared a knowing smile.

"Spare us the details, Lucie. We took one look at you and knew you had an encounter with Captain Levi," Petra giggled. At that, the corners of my lips turned up. My team knew me best, after all. I ruffled her hair, earning some light punches and indignant cries.

I'd just have to work hard and strive to be better, stronger, smarter than that puny bastard.

But first — soup!


End file.
